On November 16, 2003, CCTV exposed the shocking truth about some Jinhua ham manufacturers using the pesticide DDT to repel insects and flies. It seemed that Jinhua ham was about to suffer the same fate as Nanjing Guanshengyuan. At this critical juncture, the Jinhua municipal government successfully organized a "Ham Defense Battle." A mere 30 days later, Jinhua ham returned to the market, marking a significant victory for the Jinhua municipal government in the "Ham Defense Battle."
A Millennium Brand Faces Catastrophe
With over 1200 years of history, Zhejiang Jinhua ham is a living relic renowned as the "Crown of World Hams," sold in major cities across China and dozens of countries worldwide. However, due to historical reasons, the prestigious brand "Jinhua Ham" was shared by hundreds of manufacturing companies. Due to the lack of unified management, the equipment, scale, standards, quality, sales, and management of Jinhua ham production enterprises varied greatly. Therefore, it was no surprise that individual companies were found to be illegally using pesticides to prevent insects and flies. Jinhua City, as both the birthplace and the largest production base, was also the biggest victim of this malicious incident.
After CCTV exposed the DDT scandal involving Jinhua ham, most domestic media heavily reported on this malicious incident the next day. Immediately, people from all over the country became wary of Jinhua ham, causing the "living relic" to face catastrophic consequences. Local governments quickly organized the seizure of Jinhua ham, which was subsequently removed from shelves in large and medium-sized supermarkets across the country, with distributors unanimously requesting refunds. Affected by the misconduct of individual producers, all 160-plus Jinhua ham factories located in Jinhua City suffered unprecedented damage. Domestic mainstream media published numerous comments pointing out that Jinhua ham would be the second "Guanshengyuan" to fall.
November is usually a busy season for Jinhua ham. In previous years, dealers from all over the country would gather in Jinhua City to stock up in preparation for the two major sales holidays, Spring Festival and New Year. However, in November 2003, due to the shocking DDT scandal involving Jinhua ham, the newly opened Jinhua Ham City saw fewer cars and visitors, with business plummeting. Zongsu Food Co., Ltd., one of the 160 affected companies with total assets of 1.3 billion yuan, had its chairman Ma Zhongsu emotionally say: "Now, my hams are sold in large supermarkets both domestically and internationally. I've already paid 3 million yuan in entry fees, but now they all want refunds. If I accept the returns and put them back in the supermarket, I will have to pay another 3 million yuan. As for the indirect losses, I don't even dare to think about them."
Jinhua ham is the city's "Golden Namecard," making this small city famous worldwide due to Jinhua ham. If the millennium-old brand legacy left by our ancestors is destroyed, modern-day Jinhuans will become sinners of history. Jinhua ham is also one of Jinhua City's economic pillars, not only involving 160 manufacturing plants in Jinhua City but also driving dozens of related industries such as commerce, transportation, breeding, catering, hotels, labor, and packaging in Jinhua City. Defending Jinhua ham is no longer just about the survival of enterprises; it also concerns Jinhua's reputation domestically and internationally. If this matter is not handled properly, Jinhua City will face a series of economic, political, and social problems.
The Jinhua Government Launches a Brand Defense Campaign
Facing life-and-death crises, the Jinhua municipal government remained calm, gave clear commands, and unified instructions, winning a beautiful battle to defend the Jinhua ham brand. Specific details can be found in the table below titled "Major Events in the Crisis Public Relations of the Jinhua Ham Incident."
Date Summary of Crisis Public Relations for the Jinhua Ham Incident